New York Construction Report staff writer
A proposed 30,000-sq. ft. community centre in Jackson Heights has secured $33.8 million in public and private funding, supporting plans for the neighbourhood’s first community pool, a gymnasium and a theatre.
The Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens will develop the facility at 70-02 34th Avenue, on a site formerly occupied by BQE Billiards. Concept renderings for the project were prepared by SHoP Architects.
New York State is contributing $10 million through a grant administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY).
The funding package includes $9.3 million secured by New York City Council member Shekar Krishnan and the City Council, $2 million from U.S. senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, $1 million from Congress member Grace Meng, $1 million in state funding secured by Assembly member Jessica González-Rojas, and $250,000 each from Assembly members Steven Raga and Catalina Cruz.
The Boys & Girls Club also received $10 million from Metropolitan Park to acquire the property.
The $33.8 million secured to date will cover the site acquisition and the next phase of planning, design and community engagement. The project has a total funding target of approximately $60 million, and the organization plans to launch a capital campaign to raise the remaining amount.
Construction timing has not been finalized. Project representatives expect work to move forward as planning and design proceed, with completion targeted toward the end of the decade.
The planned facility will include an indoor gym with basketball courts, a swimming pool and an auditorium-style theatre. Proposed programming includes after-school and summer activities, early childhood education, academic enrichment, senior programs, workforce development, health and wellness initiatives, arts and cultural programming, and community events.
The centre is expected to serve as many as 10,000 children annually, while providing programming and gathering space for residents of all ages.
Additional potential uses, subject to community input, include affordable housing, child care, outdoor sports and recreation facilities, and a rooftop farm.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the state funding on Oct. 14, saying the project would expand access to affordable programming and provide young people with opportunities to develop skills and explore their interests.
DASNY president and CEO Robert J. Rodriguez said the state funding would help deliver a community facility where young people could learn, stay active and spend time together.
The project follows a separate expansion of the Variety Boys & Girls Club’s existing facility in Astoria. Hochul announced $8 million in state funding for that project in October 2025. The broader $300-million redevelopment includes a new clubhouse with a gymnasium, swimming pool, aquatic centre and planetarium, as well as more than 200 affordable housing units and other community facilities.
The Jackson Heights development is also consistent with New York State’s Unplug and Play initiative, which supports recreational infrastructure, swimming facilities and community centres.
